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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30057075">Newspaper</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystiction/pseuds/Mystiction'>Mystiction</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcoholic Tony Stark, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Dark Tony Stark, Evil Tony Stark, Gen, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, Hurt No Comfort, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Poor Peter Parker, Vodka, ish</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 16:47:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,127</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30057075</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystiction/pseuds/Mystiction</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark has always wanted to prove Howard Stark wrong. This time, Peter Parker is in the picture. This time, Peter Parker is the picture.</p><p>(Non-Superhero AU)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben Parker/May Parker (Spider-Man), Mary Parker/Richard Parker, May Parker (Spider-Man) &amp; Peter Parker, Peter Parker &amp; Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>56</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Newspaper</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! </p><p>TW: One line involving child abuse, please take care. Other than that, it's all good!</p><p>Happy reading!</p><p>PS: My discord is Mystiction #5518, so if anyone wants to talk, say just your number in the comments and then send me a friend request (so that I know it's someone from AO3)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony Stark hated doing talks for people who never understood the responsibility of being the CEO of Stark Industries after someone like Howard Stark.</p><p>They all thought it was all glamour, but there was so much hidden behind a curtain. So much they didn’t know. His desperation, his addiction, just to prove a person long dead wrong. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Mr. Stark! How amazing is it to head Stark Industries?”</em>
</p><p>The question never asked, was how hard it is to lead Stark Industries. People breathing up his neck, scolding him about how Howard did everything so much better. </p><p>He knew, he knew that he would never be worthy, he knew he didn’t deserve it. He didn’t need people telling him all the time.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p>Tony had just gotten home from a long day of work. He went right to sleep, but of course, nightmares plagued him.</p><p>
  <em>“I just wanted some appreciation from you!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’ll get it when you actually deserve it, not when you bring girls home like groceries!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You don’t even know how to be a father!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Anthony, you filth, do you? I’ll bet your son will run from you before he’s even out in this world!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The sound of a hand hitting skin rang through the room.</em>
</p><p>Tony moaned in distress and woke up. It wasn’t often he was woken up because of a real memory in a nightmare.</p><p>As usual, Tony got himself a glass of his strongest Vodka and enjoyed the feeling of it burning down his throat, as the fear and distress he had acquired from the nightmare slowly washed away with the alcohol.</p><p>He thought about the memory that had come in his dream. Howard really thought Tony couldn’t be a better father than him? With that thought, an idea came to his mind. He may not be able to handle a company that well, but he could handle a couple of nights with a woman. </p><p>He would prove Howard wrong. And was ready to go colossal lengths to achieve that.</p><p>But of course, there was a catch. No one wanted to have children with the alcoholic, flirtatious weapons dealer Tony Stark. </p><p>He thought there was no way to remove that problem, he even thought of adoption. But the people working at the orphanages took one look at his hungover body and deemed him unfit. </p><p>***</p><p>And his problem continued, until he met Richard and Mary Parker.</p><p>
  <em>“Mr. Stark, you need to let us borrow your jet.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“We have a little son, waiting for us, but we’re being attacked by drones, and we have no other choice than to get out of the grid.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Aren’t you taking your son?” Tony Stark finally spoke up.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“We don’t want to risk him getting in the way of any danger. He’s staying with my brother and his wife for now.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Please Mr. Stark, you need to help us!”</em>
</p><p>Tony Stark had no mind to be of any help to this young couple. But the moment he heard the words ‘our little son’, Tony, the ever-so-fast thinker, formed a plan in his mind. It wasn’t so hard to get a plane to crash but remain unidentified, was it?</p><p>
  <em>“Sure. Let me take you to the plane myself.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Thank you Mr. Stark, thank you! We’ll be grateful forever!”</em>
</p><p>But how long would their forever be?</p><p> </p><p>And the next day, the newspaper read-</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Young couple killed early in the afternoon due to plane crash.</strong>
  </p>
</div>And Tony just laughed to himself.<p>***</p><p>
  <em>“He’s staying with my brother and his wife for now.”</em>
</p><p>It took a little work, but soon, Tony had all the information about said brother and his wife.</p><p>Ben Parker, the brother, was a police officer in Queens. His wife, May Parker, neé Reilly, was a homemaker. His sources told him they’d be taking Peter in.</p><p>Peter Parker. The whole reason for this, his key to proving Howard wrong. He was 3. The perfect age to be moulded. But if getting simple information about the Parkers was so hard, how hard would it be to get their address?</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p>Years passed by, technology became better. Children became smarter. Peter Parker did too. He got into Midtown with a scholarship.</p><p>“A true-born Stark, then,” Tony used to think.   </p><p>Over these years he had come to know a lot about the Parkers. Over the years, he had hired many failed hitmen. But Flint Marko was something different. He knew how to do it. He was then hired.</p><p>And the next day, the newspaper read-</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>40 year old local hero Queens police officer killed in bank robbery.</strong>
  </p>
</div><p> </p><p>And Tony just laughed to himself.</p><p>***</p><p>Stark men had always been brought up to think women were inferior, they had no power, no rights, no mind, no sensibility.</p><p>So that's what Tony Stark thought about May Parker. But he was <em>very, very</em> wrong. When he went to her house, met her, she was the complete opposite. She knew about his business, how it worked, the weapons they sold. So he had to make some stuff up for her. He lied about how Peter had signed up to make prosthetics. </p><p>And then, the sound of the door opening interrupted their conversation, and Peter Parker walked in.</p><p>
  <em>“May, there's this crazy car parked…”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re Tony Stark. Tony Stark’s in my house.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“He sure is.” Tony said, moderately concealing his excitement.</em>
</p><p>Tony was led into Peter’s room with the kid, and <em>then</em> he found out how great Peter actually was. He was <em>smart</em>. He was perfect. The perfect heir.</p><p>Peter Stark. That sounded good.</p><p>***</p><p>Tony could win people over like he'd been practicing since he was born. And when he <em>actually tried</em> to win them over, you bet it worked like a charm. He'd done the same with Peter. They met almost everyday, and Peter was starting to see him as a good friend and mentor.</p><p>His success was now guaranteed.</p><p>***</p><p>He also met May a lot. She needed to be out of the way too. She had observed how Tony smelled of Vodka one day, even though he’d spritzed himself with his Gucci perfume more times than healthy. She was too smart. </p><p>So the next day they met for tea, her’s had cyanide in it. </p><p>And the day after that, the newspaper read-</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>Woman dies of heart attack while dining with Tony Stark.</strong>
  </p>
</div><p> </p><p>And Tony just laughed to himself.</p><p>***</p><p><em>“Mr. Stark! What am I going to do? May! Come back, please!”</em> Peter cried into his chest everyday, and everyday Tony said to him-</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I’ll take care of you, kid. You’ll be like my son.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>And the next day, the newspaper read-</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
<p></p><div class="center"><p><strong>Tony Stark adopts 16 year old who lost 4 family members.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p>And Tony just laughed to himself. He could now start proving Howard Stark wrong.</p><p> </p><p>He had won at last.</p></div></div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope you liked reading that! It was really fun to write. </p><p>Kudos and comments are loved, and constructive criticism appreciated!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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